Venus Williams played sister Serena in a match that ended at 8:30 p.m. Monday night. At 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, she had to play again in the BNP Paribas Open.

The match against Serena was physically draining and emotionally draining, and though her opponent on Tuesday, Anastasija Sevastova, also played on Monday in Indian Wells, it certainly didn't take as large a toll on her as Venus playing Serena. Oh, and she's 10 years younger than Venus.

But a champion is a champion and Venus answered the call, rallying in both sets, to pull out an impressive 7-6, 6-4 victory.

"Yeah, it was a really quick turnaround," Venus said. "So you just have to reset your mind and focus on the round you're in. Completely different, completely different resolution to solving the problems and the rallies in the court. It was honestly a very good match. Well-competed on both sides."

Williams trailed 4-2 in the first set, but roared back to take a 5-4 lead. Sevastova, the No. 21 seed here, regrouped and pushed it to a tiebreaker.

The tiebreaker felt like a full match in itself with so many ebbs and flows. Venus had two match points, leading 6-4, but couldn't put Sevastova away. Venus even double-faulted to make it 6-6, much to her disgust.

The next point was a doozy. After a brief rally, Venus found herself at the net after hitting a shot that sat up pretty nicely for Sevastova. Sevastova tried to pass Venus on her right and Venus lunged and got a racket on the ball. It popped up like a well-placed bunt and landed just on the other side of the net. Sevastova raced in and got a racket on it, but couldn't get it over the net. Venus won the set 8-6 a point later.

"I mean, there were some points where she just played and it was too good," Venus said. "And I thought I was in control of the point and winning the point, and she turned it around. It's just real talent. So figuring out those kind of moments of being able to control the point till the very end."

Venus lost control to start the second set. Sevastova raced out to a 3-0 lead, but again Venus showed her championship mettle. Unfazed, she battled back and won 6 of the next 7 games for the 6-4 win.

The best point of the match came with Sevastova serving at 4-4 in the second set, and Venus had a break point opportunity. After a 10- or 12-shot rally, Sevastova hit a nice drop shot. Venus raced up to get to it with her long reach and hit a little dunker over the net. Sefastova flew in and returned it with a nice-looking lob, but Williams raced back and caught the ball in the air and directed it into an open area of the court. Service broken. Now up 5-4, Venus then served out the match.

Asked if she was able to conserve energy at points during the match, Venus said that was a luxury she did not have against the talented Latvian.

"There was no conserving energy," Venus said. "I had to let it all go and try to win the point. Because she wasn't conserving anything, I don't think, either."

Venus now advances to the quarterfinals, which she also did last year at this tournament. She will face Spain's Carla Suárez Navarro on Thursday. Suarez Navarro, the No. 27 seed, beat American wild card Danielle Collins 6-2, 6-4.

Jack Sock makes the between the legs shot but loses the point to Feliciano Lopez, of Spain, during the men’s 3rd round at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Tuesday, March 13, 2018.
Richard Lui/The Desert Sun